THIRD LECTURE. 



BEALE. 



It will not be out of place to notice here the peculiar views 

 of Dr. Lionel S. Beale. 



In a work published in 1870, entitled, "Disease Germs; 

 their Nature and Origin," Dr. Beale holds a view of this 

 subject different from the more generally accepted theory, and 

 differing entirely from both Schwan and Liebig as to the 

 nature of contagions. We should say, however, that this view 

 was not entirely original with Dr. Beale, but he has given the 

 most perfect exposition of it. 



In respect to bacteria, he regards them as accidental accom- 

 paniments of disease ; their home is among dead matter, 

 having nothing to do with the living. Further, they are of 

 no distinct species or form ; a spore may produce this or that 

 form, according to its environment, and nothing can be pre- 

 dicated of the action of any particular form. They are 

 scavengers only. 



The action of a contagion is not a fermentative process in 

 any respect, either in accordance with Liebig and the chemists, 

 or in accordance with the views of Schwan and Pasteur. All 

 the facts he thinks susceptible of a different explanation. 



Dr. Beale regards disease germs as being derived directly 

 from the human tissues by a process of physiological degrada- 

 tion by a metamorphosis of functional activity without 

 there being necessarily any change of form from the normal 

 cell or bioplasm. This is the bioplasm theory of contagion. 

 It has also been termed the amoaboid theory. 



Dr. Beale believes contagious disease germs to consist of 



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